Beast Wars: The Continuing Chronicles
by DragonSpirit
Summary: Imagine if Nemesis Parts One and Two had never occurred? The Beast Wars continue to be waged! Hey, I think Chapter 5 may finally work now, hopefully.
1. Tale of the Forest Part 1

Beast Wars

Suppose Nemesis Parts One and Two had never occurred?  Imagine that the Beast Wars continued to be waged?  This fanfic is a continuing story about what would happen, starting with Episode 51.

Chapter One: The Tale of the Forest [Part One]

            The Planet Earth rocked off its hinges as a Transwarp Explosion shattered the Energon and transformed the Beast Wars forever.  Everything in the universe would be changed forever.  The pulses emitted, the Quantum Surge, stretched out its power nearer and nearer to Earth.  Seemingly a side effect, the surge knocked off stasis pods to the ground.  Little would Maximal nor Predacon realize, one of these pods would change their lives forever.

            Rhinox awoke from his sleep, sometime in the middle of the night.  He didn't know why he had imagined the Transwarp explosion again, a dream he had dreamed for many nights now.  He wasn't even online when it occurred; a dose of cybervenom from Blackarachnia kept that from happening.  But those days weren't of concern now.  He knew that in the morning a very important day was going to occur.  Possibly the day the Beast Wars would finally be over.  He turned and went back to sleep.

            The following morning, the Maximals awoke, one by one, and gathered inside the Command Center of the Ark.  As dawn's early light approached, as did the end of the Beast Wars, it seemed.

            3 Megacycles after dawn, Optimus Primal, Tigerhawk, Depth Charge, Cheetor, Rattrap, Rhinox, Silverbolt, and Blackarachnia were all waiting in the command center for Optimus's big noble speech.  And finally it came.

            "All right, people," Optimus began, "We've been fighting this war for a long time.  Some of you I've fought with from the beginning.  Some of you I've just now come to know.  But Megatron is out there somewhere, baseless and betrayed by his minions.  Now is the time.  Today is the day that we will end the Beast Wars.  But first, we have to find him.

            "All right, I want to divide into groups and began searching.  If you find any Predacons, do not engage!  Report back in thirty cycles.  I want one flyer with each group.  Rattrap, you're with me.  Rhinox, go with Depth Charge.  Cats, you're together.  And Silverbolt and Blackarachnia, go but _comply with the mission_!"

            "Your words are well received," answered the birddog.

            "Heh! _Betta be!_" remarked Rattrap.

            "All right, let's move out!" commanded Primal.

            Depth Charge reverted to vehicle mode.  "Come on, rhino."

            Megatron paced on the plain that his remaining troops stood.  They seemed pathetic to him.  Quickstrike, Inferno, Waspinator, Dinobot, and Rampage.  "Blast!  We are without a base!  That cursed Tigerhawk, he's with the _Maximals_ now.  Perhaps I will be forced to revert to an old tactic."

            Inferno saluted.  "What tactic is that, my queen?"

            Megatron smiled.  "Hmmm….we must return to the Scorponok II and rescue any pieces of my Transmetal 2 technology.  Perhaps I can create loyalty instead of trying to force it out of troops that lack it."

            "I will be loyal, my queen!" bellowed Inferno.

            "No doubt you will be…" muttered Megatron.  "All right, all troops to the Scorponok II immediately."

            Megatron, Inferno, Waspinator, Dinobot, and Quickstrike began moving, but Rampage stayed behind.  "Why should we?" he asked.

            Megatron grunted.  "What did you say?"

            Rampage snorted.  "Yess…the Maximals will most certainly win the war now.  Why should we even continue on your side?"

            Dinobot smiled and opened up his chest to reveal his dark spark.  Squeezing it, he smiled.  Rampage immediately began discharging energy, and followed behind the rest of the Predacons.

            Far above this, hiding, a figure watched through a grove of trees.  _Who were these creatures?  Not…friends…_ he thought.  _I have no friends…No one to come to me…No nothing_.  _Many a stellar cycle have I searched for Transformers…and these are who I find?_

            Back at the Scorponok, the remainders of Megatron's troops began searching for the equipment used to create Dinobot.

            "Excuse me, master, but how do you plan to create Transmetal 2 Predacons without the alien sphere?" Dinobot asked Megatron.

            "My unwavering servant, I do have a plan for that.  No doubt that as we speak the Maximals have all departed their base searching for us.  In fact, now is the perfect time.  Unfortunately, my only servant with the brain capacity to obtain that disk wasn't my servant at all, and now he is destroyed.  Apparently I will have to go myself.  Oh, Inferno?"

            "Yes my queen?"

            Megatron smiled and spoke, "You are in charge.  As for myself, I will take a quick trip to the Ark.  Teletran 1 I will deal with when I get there.  Ta!"  And, as a great dragon, the leader of the Predacons departed towards the Maximal base.

            "Any sighting so far, little cat?" Tigerhawk asked Cheetor as they flew throughout the midday sky.  The cheetah was riding on the top of Tigerhawk's back as they searched for Predacons.

            "Nothing, big cat," he answered.  "Hold on.  Go to coordinates 7, 2, 9.  Sector Tau.  I think I see something down there."

            "Certainly."

            The two felines traveled, then, over to an encampment of rocks.  In fact, these stones were the same encampment in which Optimus was sucked into by the Vok so many stellar cycles before.  "So, Cheetor, what did you see?"

            "Some kind of an animal, I think," answered Cheetor.  "Land it, Tigerhawk."

            So Tigerhawk landed himself and Cheetor got off.  They both transformed.  Tigerhawk morphed from its fuzored self to a powerful Vok-enhanced robot, and Cheetor, a transmetal 2, changed into a science-and-nature bred speed machine.

            "Hey, Preddies, if you're here, you might as well surrender!" cried Cheetor so everyone within one hundred meters would hear him.

            Then something emerged from behind one of the stones…it spoke in a low grunt.  "They left already."

            "Huh?!" Tigerhawk bellowed as he turned.

            The two felines turned and viewed the stranger.  It was definitely an animal.  It was a ram…except changed.  Instead of hair, it had a hard red metal skull, with glaring green eyes.  Most of the front of its body was covered in red armor, but the back had brown, smooth hair.  Two gigantic horns protruded from its head, made out of ivory.  "I said they left already."

            Cheetor looked amazed.  "What the Matrix are you?"

            The ram looked at them.  "That's no concern to you."

            "Hey!" shouted Tigerhawk.  "Are you Maximal or Predacon?"

            "I guess you could say I'm neither," he answered.

            "Hmm?" asked Cheetor.  However, the stranger Ram turned and began to walk off.  "Hey!  Atleast where did they go?"

            "Don't know.  Said they went somewhere called the Scorponok.  Anyway, I gotta go."

            Cheetor turned to him Com-Link.  "Hey Optimus, we gotta situation over here."

            The monkey's voice was heard over the sensor.  "What do you mean?  Megatron?"

            "Uh, no.  Some ram guy told us that Megatron is back at his ship, the Scorponok!"

            "I don't quite understand.  I'll be right over," said Optimus.  And the Com-Link went off.

            The ram turned back to Cheetor.  "Sorry, kid, but I got no time to talk. Unless of course, you wanna fight."

            "Will that make you stay here?" asked Tigerhawk.

            "Of course.  Always lookin' for a fight.  Gets the juices goin'.  Wanna go?" asked the stranger.

            "I'll take ya," said Cheetor, "if it'll make you stay."

            "Fine," said the ram.  "Ramulus, transform!"

            "That's his activation code?" said Tigerhawk.

            And so Ramulus transformed.  His front legs emerged as shoulder pads.  His arms had two sharp silver and blue blades.  His face had two dark red eyes, a mean frown, and two silver horns protruding from the top.  His beast mode's horns were now used as a weapon.

            "All right, 'Ramulus,' " said Cheetor, "you ready to do this?"

            "Always," answered Ramulus.  "Let's go!"

            And the fight began.

TO BE CONTINUED.  Reviews and comments appreciated…I got into Beast Wars a couple of days ago again..watched all of my tapes of every episode.


	2. Tale of the Forest Part 2

NOTE: I remember hearing somewhere that Megatron's ship was called the Scorponok II somewhere…my apologies…thanks Wicked Woman (). J

Chapter Two: The Tale of the Forest [Part Two]

The sun was hot in the midday sky on Earth.  Two warriors, perched on the eves of eternal duel with one another, stood back to back before they were to fight.  For one, this battle was serious.  For the other, simply a tool to make the other stay longer.

"All right," said Ramulus, "Hey, kid, what's your name?"

"Cheetor!" he replied.  "Okay, how exactly are we gonna do this?  Are we gonna, like, tell each other off first, like 'you silly yeller-bellied toad-twistin'--"

"No, idiot," said Ramulus. "We're gonna walk forward ten steps and then turn and start to fight.  You never done this before?"

Cheetor chuckled.  "No.  Duels are meant for the leaders.  I'll never even get to be second-in-command." J

"Good.  So your skills aren't polished in this manner?" asked Ramulus.

"Not especially," said Cheetor.

_Wow, little cat's really doing a good job of delaying this duel until Optimus can get here,_ thought Tigerhawk.  _Only a few more cycles.  Optimus's transmission was clear, so he couldn't have been very far._

"All right, enough delayin', stupid feline," said Ramulus.  "Start walking back as I count.  One.  Two.  Three.  Four.  Fi-"

"—Hey!  What's going on here?"

Both Cheetor and Ramulus stopped the duel to turn and view Optimal Optimus standing there, looking at them. Rattrap stood beside him.  "Cheetor, what are you doing?" asked Optimus.

"It was the only way," replied Cheetor.  "There was no other way to keep 'Ramulus' here while we waited for you.  Besides, I spent a lot of time talking to him trying to delay the duel anyway.  So now you're here."

"So, who are you?" asked Optimus.

Suddenly, they turned and watched as the friend they had just so recently met began to run.  Morphing back into beast mode, Ramulus ran right between Cheetor and Optimus and away in the distance.

"Ramulus, wait!" cried the monkey.  "Cheetor, after him!"

"Gotcha, bigbot," said Cheetor, and he was off at Mach 2.

"Heh…that was random," snorted Rattrap.

            Dinobot was quite pleased with his new role as leader of the operation in which all Transmetal 2 technology would be excavated from the Darkside. (thx WW)  So far, they had found pieces of a stasis pod and managed to weld it back together.

            "Work faster, Predacons!" cried Dinobot.  For himself, he was kicking back in a long chair sipping a tankard of Positron.  "We must please Megatron!"

            "Oh, shut up, clone," said Waspinator. "Wasssspinator no take orders from raptor-bot.  Wassspinator only take orders from Megatron."

            "Then get back to work, you good-for-nothing bug," replied Dinobot.

            "I'd really like to get out and… and slag some Maximals instead of renovatin' some old ship…it'd feel real good," said Quickstrike, making the cobra that resided on his right arm snap and hiss at Inferno, who was passing beside him with a small piece of equipment.

            "Who would want to disobey the royalty instead of putting the colony back together?" asked Inferno rhetorically, but Rampage answered anyway.

            "Someone who has never sworn his loyalty to Megatron."

            Dinobot overheard this, and quickly rectified it with one squeeze of the half-spark that resided inside his chest.  

            Little did they know, from far away, Depth Charge and Rhinox viewed the Predacons excavate the Darkside.  "Hmm…better report to Optimus," said Rhinox.

            "Don't bother with it…_X is down there,"_ said Depth Charge.

            "Optimus told us not to engage.  We should return to the Ark," commanded Rhinox.  "Hmm…I wonder where Megatron is."

            "I'm going down there," said Depth Charge, as he began to soar down towards the Predacons.

            Rhinox held on as he said, "Depth Charge, no!"

            But Rhinox had no control over where the Sting Ray was going.  As Depth Charge crashed into a pile of Sentinel's equipment, the Predacons spread outward, away from the Maximals.  "Depth Charge, maximize!" he said, and he morphed himself into robot mode.  _"Get over here, X!"_

            Rampage smiled and pulled out his missile launcher.  "Ho ho ho…so kind of you to drop by.  Did I ever tell you that you look just like Cyberstalker? _Probably taste the same too…"_

            Depth charge ripped out his shark gun.  _"Die, you stinkin' slaggin', no good piece of scrap!"_

            And with those words, two pieces of artillery charged at each other.  A missile from Rampage and a laser beam from Depth Charge slammed into each other halfway in between the two warriors, resulting in a large explosion.  Both fighters were flung backwards.

            By this time, Rhinox had already morphed to robot mode and had his two machine guns in hand.  "Well, I guess it's too late now.  It's slaggin' time!"  And then there was a flurry of bullets and the shells from them.  The shots flew everywhere.  The first of the Predacons hit was Quickstrike.  With each bullet, another scorpion leg from his left hand flew off and scattered away.  It seemed too soon that the fuzor was lying on the ground, unable to move.

            As for the other Predacons, Dinobot had his lawn chair laying down on top of him, and his glass of Positron was spilling all of the ground.  Inferno had buried himself inside the ground, with only his abdomen sticking out, like an overgrown ostrich.

            _"All right, X, we finish this now!"_ said Depth Charge in his normal, hoarse and husky voice.

            "Oh, Depth Charge, it will never be over!"  replied Rampage.  "Our battle will continue for the rest of eternity."

            Both transformers stood up and began hand-to-hand combat against one another.  Depth Charge changed his right hand into a spear like he does and flung out the weapon at Rampage's chest.  Rampage managed to grab the sting ray's arm before the attack breached his chest into his spark.  Depth Charge began to groan as he pushed harder.

            "You know hearing you struggle only makes me happier," said the crab.  "Your pain fuels me.  It-"

            "-Do you know how to shut up, X?" cried Depth Charge.  "Stop trying to resist it.  Just let yourself die!"

            "I will never die," said Rampage.  "I am invincible.  But I guess all your Starbase Rugby teammates found that out for themselves, huh?"

            "SHUT UP!!!" yelled Depth Charge.  Both fighters then fell to the ground as they continued to struggle, Depth Charge on top of Rampage.  Then suddenly, Depth Charge pulled out his gun again with his left hand.  "Feel the pain, X!"

            "Ha ha ha!" said Rampage before he pulled out his missile launcher and pointed it into Depth Charge's chest.

            "You wouldn't dare," said Depth Charge.  "The explosion would melt your circuitry.  The pain would be excrutiating."

            "I feel no pain."

            "Feel this!" cried Rhinox.

            Rampage turned his head to see Rhinox standing a meter away from him, with both of his machine guns aimed directly at his head.  "Go, Rhinox," cried Depth Charge as the sting ray leapt off of the crab to leave Rhinox free to blast Rampage into oblivion.

            The bullets seemed to fly like there was no tomorrow.  Rampage groaned though he felt to pain; the red on his chest soon was died black with the bullet holes.  It was as if his nerves tended to jump as Rampage jumped into the air from the force of the bullets and shells.

            Then the bullets stopped and only a 'click' of an empty clip was heard.  Then everything seemed a blur.  Rampage leapt up from a fetal position and immediately ignited a grenade on the ground.  Rhinox and Depth Charge went flying backwards and into piles of scrap from the Darkside.  When they gained back their senses, Rampage, as well as the rest of the Predacons, were gone, and they were left with only the vestige of the battle as witnesses.

            "Dear, seen any Predacons yet?" Silverbolt asked his girlfriend, Blackarachnia, as they sailed through the air over Predacon subsector Hooks.

            "Nothing yet, but if I know Megatron, he's too stupid to get cover," she answered.  Blackarachnia was in robot mode, perched over Silverbolt's back.

            "Well, we're approaching the time that Optimus said to be back, so we should be heading back," said Silverbolt.

            "Wait!" cried Blackarachnia.  "It's Optimus, Rattrap, and Tigerhawk, down there, in Sector Tau!"

            And so they landed next to the three pre-mentioned Maximals.  "Optimus, what's going on?" asked Silverbolt.  "Have you spotted Megatron?"

            "No," said Optimus, "but something else—never mind, let Tigerhawk explain it to you."

            "All right.  Tigerhawk, what happened?" asked Silverbolt.

            "We found a strange warrior transformer that takes the form of a ram.  He wasn't too enthusiastic about staying except if he dueled Cheetor, and so they almost fought, but then Optimus showed up.  Then the warrior ran off.  He said his name was Ramulus.  Cheetor is out chasing him now."

            "So is this guy Maximal or Predacon?" asked Blackarachnia.

            "He said that he was neither," replied Tigerhawk.

            Silverbolt was frustrated.  "How can he be neither?"

            Optimus surprisingly looked understanding.  "I think that this may have something to do with you, Tigerhawk."

            "Huh?"

            "So long ago, when both of you, er…well, Tigertron and Airazor went off to search the planet, looking for the stasis pods that fell, both of you were…interrupted.  You never searched the entire planet.  I think Ramulus's pod may have crashed somewhere, and we never went out to meet him."

            "So this goathead's been alive on this planet for nearly a stellar cycle and has never found us?" asked Rattrap.

            Silverbolt smiled.  "I may have a theory."

            "Let's hear it," said Tigerhawk.

            "Well, Ramulus is a maximal.  When Megatron nearly destroyed Optimus Prime so long ago and created that time storm, Ramulus must have felt it too.  That must have given him some idea that there is something else on this planet.  So he probably began searching then."

            "And he just now found us.  But he doesn't seem too enthusiastic," said Optimus.

            "How will you know if Cheetor has caught up to him?" asked Tigerhawk.

            "Well I hope the kid's smart enough to use his com-link," said Rattrap.

            "That's all we can hope," said Optimus.  "But for now we need to contact Rhinox and Depth Charge and have them meet us here.  Our plan for the day has just been ruined."

            Depth Charge and Rhinox were searching through the rubble of the Darkside when Optimus contacted them.  "Come to my coordinates," said the leader.  "Have you found any Predacons?"

            Depth Charge pressed his com-link button.  "No," he said.  "Nothing yet.  We'll be right over."  And he clicked back out.

            "I don't like lying to him," said Rhinox.

            Depth Charge transformed to vehicle mode.  "Better for him not to know.  Hop on."

            Rhinox responded to his request, and they began to journey to the standing stones.

            Megatron kept a close eye on the autoguns of the Ark as he crept closer and closer.  He wasn't exactly sure how he would break past the defenses of this Autobot ship.  But he would try desperately.  He was now within 50 meters.  No autogun fire.  40 meters.  Still nothing.  30.  Nada.  20.  He was now expecting it.  10.  Nothing!

            "Ha!  They forgot to turn on perimeter defenses.  They are so unexpecting," said Megatron.

            The doors to the Ark were pushed open with ease as Megatron entered the command center.  "Now where's that alien sphere?  Blackarachnia used it to improve herself.  Perhaps I can use it for my own advantages.  It should be in her quarters."

            So he progressed throughout the chambers of the Ark, searching for Blackarachnia's quarters.  Finally he found them, on the easternmost wing, right next to Silverbolt's.  In fact, there was a picture of Silverbolt sitting on a chest beside her bed.  Megatron dug throughout the cabinets and such around the room and did not find the alien sphere.  "Where is that blasted relic?!"

            Megatron slammed the wall with his fist that nearly made the whole Ark shake.  And suddenly, a hole appeared in the middle of her bed!  "It must be some sort of switch," he said.  Glancing in the hole, he viewed there, the alien sphere that he coveted.  "Yes!  The one device that I need the most, that will fuel me an army of Transmetal 2 warriors that will swear loyalty to me!"  Grabbing it, he left the Ark like no one had ever been there.

            Cheetor managed to gain more and more ground against Ramulus.  The transformer was quite fast for a grazing animal.  Cheetor followed across a gigantic plain, in fact, past several rams, until they came upon a forest.  Ramulus entered the forest through a hole between two trees, and with caution, Cheetor followed.

            Ramulus slowed down at this point, not realizing that he had a stalker.  Cheetor also slowed until he could follow at about twenty paces.  The two journeyed far into the forest, until they came upon a cave carved by trees.  The passageway was clear of all brush, as if it was constantly traveled.

            Ramulus came to the entrance of the cave and whispered, "Ramulus, transform."  And once again he became the fierce hunter of the unknown, with blades on his hands and two dangerous horns on the top of his head.  With the ram's horns he had as a weapon, he entered the cave.

            "Cheetor, maximize!" Cheetor whispered behind a tree.  He changed into his Transmetal 2 self, and entered the cave behind Ramulus.

            Inside the cave, Ramulus seemed to have a small home set up.  There was a bed made of rocks, and a fireplace set up in the middle of the floor.  Ramulus set down his weapon and laid down in his bed.  And that was when Cheetor made his move.

            "Don't move a muscle!" shouted the cheetah.

            Leaping up, Ramulus cried, "Dammit, cat, you scared me to death!!  Don't _ever_ do that again!"

            "Why'd you run off on us?" Cheetor asked.

            "Why did you never come for me?" Ramulus then asked.

            "Huh?"

            Ramulus sat back down on his bed.  "Why did none of your supposed perfect teammates never come for me when my pod crashed?  I was left with nothing on this world.  I was unaware that there was anyone on this world.  I was left with the first moments of me being online as two predators of the forest attempted to eat me.  I was stranded."

            "Then why don't you join us?"

            "Because I don't need you.  I've survived over a stellar cycle by myself on this planet, and I do not need teammates to 'be a pal' to me or any other scrap like that."

            "But you're a Maximal!" cried Cheetor.

            "Sorry, kid, but no," said Ramulus.  "I'm not a Maximal, and I never will be.  You can call me one of your teammates and all that, but I now wish I had never emerged into your lives."

            "Why?"

            "Because every single one of you is annoying as hell."

            "Oh," said Cheetor.

            "I just want you to leave me alone," said Ramulus.  "I don't need your maximal pride or your silly games.  I just want to be alone, by myself, in my cave."

            "But why?"

            Ramulus chuckled.  "You can't say that I've been too impressed with the maximals throughout my life.  First they abandon me to nothing in the forest, then I'm sure you had something to do with that random tornado-storm that nearly killed me."

            "That wasn't us," said Cheetor.  "That was Megatron."

            "Oh, Megatron, I'm sure that's your enemy, heh heh," said Ramulus sarcastically.  "I'm sure life out there is nowhere near as dangerous as life here.  Predators hunt me in my ram mode every day.  I have Scarem and Sonar tryin' to kill me every day."

            "Huh?  Who's Scarem and Sonar?"

            Ramulus sulked.  "I don't even really know.  They were here when my pod first landed.  Scarem is a vicious beetle.  Hates me to death.  Sonar is a bat."

            "Where are they?" asked Cheetor.

            "They pop up randomly, sometimes ambush me together."

            "So they're Predacons?"

            "Look, kid, I don't even know what Predacons really are.  Maybe they are!"  Ramulus stood up.  "Look, kid, I think it's about time you leave."

            "Huh? Why?"

            "Let's just say you've worn out your welcome."

            "But will we ever see you again?" asked Cheetor.

            "Maybe.  Sometime.  If I ever get lonely.  Haven't got lonely yet, though.  Now leave."

            And with that, Cheetor was off, a little bit understanding of Ramulus's situation.  Whether they would ever see him again, not even the stars knew.  But Cheetor left willingly, knowing that in his heart he would always remember the tale of the forest that he learned on that day.

Later on that day, Megatron paced in front of his troops on a plain, in fact, the same plain he had done earlier that morning.  "My troops, every single one of you are incompetent.  You have all been defeated by two puny maximals.  Fortunately, I have managed to possible save our situation.  I have recovered the alien sphere.  As for the next phase of my plan, we will wait for that."

Continued in: Chapter Three: Other Vengeances!


	3. Other Vengeances

NOTE: WW, I've liked transformers for ages, I just watched all my old tapes again.

Chapter Three: Other Vengeances

            The essence of space seemed eternal and unchanging, propped up against the unwavering fanatics that hovered there, overlooking that essence.  Large, white skeletons, one with red eyes, the other with green.  They lacked bodies, but they did have long, white, almost dreadlocks hanging out of the backs of their heads.  They were not in a good mood.

            "Our attempt at stopping Megatron has failed," said Green-Eyes.  "The threat to the space-time continuum still exists.  The drone has simply changed to the side of Optimus Primal."

            "We are limited in our options, but we must stop them," said Red-Eyes.  "The Predacons wish to change history."

            "We have spent many a millennia acting as policemen of this galaxy, and our efforts are failing thanks to one dark transformer," said Green-Eyes. "It is time to revisit an old tactic that failed miserably last time, besides for two measly Predacon minions."

            "How shall we go about it?" asked Red-Eyes.  "We lack the luxury of a device such as a moon to perform the task right there for us."

            "If we cannot destroy the entire planet," said Green-Eyes.  "Then we simply have to destroy every Transformer living there.  But no former maximal shall go.  I think it is time that we formally meet these Transformers ourselves."

            Red-Eyes thought for a second.  "Unfortunately, we have no physical form they could comprehend."

Green-Eyes had already thought of an answer.  "When Optimus Primal spoiled our plan to destroy their planet, stasis pods orbiting around the planet crashed.  There happen to be two Transformers that I know of that know nothing of Optimus Primal of Megatron.  One is a beetle that goes by the name of Scarem.  The other is a bat named Sonar.  We could use them to our advantage."

And so the two Vok left their home in the sky, headed out to the far reaches of the galaxy, to the planet called Earth.

            The Ark was in a much more quiet mood than it had been in several days.  Rattrap sat in a corner playing a video game.  Rhinox was taking a nap.  Depth Charge, as usual, was out doing whatever he wanted.  No one was speaking, due to the events of the previous day.  Then finally, Optimus spoke.

            "Cheetor, why did you leave him so willingly?"

            Cheetor growled.  "Because I understand.  Ramulus is much happier by himself than he would ever be with us as friends.  Besides, he's not very fun to be around anyway."

            "He's still a Maximal!" cried Optimus.

            Cheetor growled again.  "Look, you and I know he'll never truly be a Maximal!"

            Rhinox interrupted.  "Hold on, you two.  Look!"  He pointed to the computer screen.

            Written on the screen was "Proximity Alert."  Then suddenly, the computer's voice began to cry the same.  "Alien Energy Signal approaching," it said.

            "What?" shouted Rhinox.  "Estimate landing coordinates."

            "Estimated landing coordinates similar to previous alien encounter."

            "The Darkside?!" cried Silverbolt.

            Rhinox shook his head.  Then the computer said, "Negative.  Estimate landing coordinates as well as signature identical to that of data tracks Tau 7."

            Rhinox gasped.  "The standing stones."

            "Ah, come on, you mean Tarantulas's scrappas are back _again."_

            Optimus reverted to vehicle mode.  "Their attempt to destroy Megatron failed.  So I'm sure they would come back, but they probably won't be very happy.  I'm going over there.  Tigerhawk, I think you better come too."

            Tigerhawk changed to his beast mode.  "Always willing."

            Silverbolt then asked, "Should I come too?"

            "No," said Optimus.  "You should stay here.  You're our only other flier, besides Depth Charge.  It'd be best if you stayed here."

            "Affirmative, brave monkey hero."

            Rhinox saluted to Optimus.  "We'll be watching.  May the Matrix be with you."

            "Always," replied Optimus.

            Rhinox pressed a button on the control panel.  "Computer, open the door."

            "Affirmative.  Doors opening."

            Optimus and Tigerhawk departed through the doors, and flew out of sight.

            "I guess all we can do now is wait," said Blackarachnia.

            "Yep," replied Rhinox.

            Optimus reverted to robot mode and pressed his com-link button.  "Rhinox, what's the estimated time of arrival?"

            "4.7 cycles."

            "Gotcha."

            And so the two Maximals waited.  Optimus could remember nearly three stellar cycles earlier, when himself and Dinobot had encountered a signature similar to the one headed to them now.  Optimus, then, had been sucked into a strange apparatus that was created by the Vok.  But everything had changed since then, he knew.

            The standing stones looked like they always had.  No one could have been able to tell that aliens were approaching these rocks.

            Then suddenly, it all happened.  A large corona came down from the sky, blinding Optimus and Tigerhawk.  It came down and hovered in the middle of the circle created by the stones, before disappearing.

            "Huh?" asked Optimus.  "AAAHHH!"

            Primal was thrown backwards with Tigerhawk by some unknown agent.  They were now together in a heap on the ground.  "So where are the Vok?" asked Tigerhawk.

            "I don't know," answered Optimus.

            Optimus and Tigerhawk were left there, like nothing had ever happened.  The entire scenery looked exactly the same as it had for many stellar cycles.  No Vok.  No nothing.

            "What was that?" cried Megatron.  He lay spread eagled on the ground next to a cave entrance.  All he remembered is that he had experienced a great flash, and then a force like he had never felt before forced him onto the ground.

            "Would you like me to find whoever did this to us, my queen?" asked Inferno, emerging out of the cave beside Megatron.

            "Inferno, stop calling me that, or I will start to call you a queen, if you understanding my meaning," answered Megatron.

            "Yes, my queen!"

            Megatron growled and clenched his fist.  Even with his new power of dragon, he was doomed to suffer the incompetence of his minions.  "No, Inferno," he said.  "That will not be necessary.  What is necessary is equipping our new base."

            Ramulus thought to himself.  _What was I thinking, possibly allying myself with those pathetic Maximals?  I'm much too good for that.  And besides, I have made myself a living by myself, fighting off Scarem and Sonar every day of my life._

            He was standing beside his cave entrance, in robot mode, with his horns in hand as a weapon.  Today he was expecting to encounter Scarem and Sonar; he had not seen them in several days.

            So he decided to finally, for once, get the drop on his two predators.  He began to journey through the forest, in all of Scarem and Sonar's usual hiding spots: the grove of trees, the meadow, and the cave with the monkey-men in it.  But they weren't there.  Nowhere to be seen.

            "Oh, Scarem? Sonar?!!!!" yelled Ramulus.

            But nowhere to be found.  Ramulus turned around, maybe thinking that it was impossible for him to possibly be on the attack against his hunters of the forest.  But then he heard a voice.  In fact, a scream.  Scarem.  From behind the set of trees on his left.  Ramulus ducked behind to have a look.

            There he saw Scarem and Sonar, together, screaming in agony.  Ramulus chuckled.  It felt good to see them hurt for once.  But Ramulus didn't understand why.  No one was attacking them or anything, but then…

            Ramulus was shot to the ground by some kind of explosion, but there was no fire.  And Scarem and Sonar stopped screaming.  They seemed quite normal.

            "Shall we proceed to destroy the Maximals and Predacons?" asked Scarem.

            "Yes."

            Ramulus overheard this.  _Huh?  I think this warrants talking to the Maximals._  
            "Beast mode," Ramulus whispered, and he changed and leapt off ahead of Scarem and Sonar.

            "Optimus, why are you still waiting there?" the monkey heard Rhinox's voice through his com-link.

            "Something just happened, and I am going to wait here until I find out what," Primal answered demandingly.

            "You've been there nearly a megacycle!" said Rhinox.

            Optimus sighed.  "Tigerhawk, you can go back to base if you'd like," he said.

            "No, Optimus," answered Tigerhawk.  "This concerns me, and I'm not going to leave until I learn exactly what 'this' is."

            "You hear that, Rhinox?" asked Optimus.  "We're gonna wait it out!"

            "Fine.  Rhinox out."

            "So…Tigerhawk…" asked Optimus, "…how's it goin'?"

            "Fine, Optimus," he answered.  There was a slight pause.  "You?"

            Optimus sighed.  "Same as always.  Wait…Ramulus!"

            Out in the distance, from the east, Optimus could see Ramulus running toward them.  "Wow…he's fast," said Tigerhawk.

            "Especially for a ram," said Optimus.

            Ramulus had neared about ten meters before he stopped.  "Ramulus, transform!"

            "What's up, Ramulus?" asked Optimus.            

            "Stop with the small talk, ape," said Ramulus.  "This is urgent.  This concerns _both_ of us."

            "Huh?" said Tigerhawk.  "What do you mean?"

            Ramulus pointed back to his forest.  "I told Cheetor of this.  I have had two predators seeking me in my forest.  Two transformers, named Scarem and Sonar.  A beetle and bat.  Today I was actually hunting _them_ for once.  And I saw them, talking about destroying both Maximals and Predacons.  I was never aware that _they_ were aware that any of you existed."

            "Hmm…" said Optimus.  "I don't think they are.  Ramulus, when did this occur?"

            "Uhh…I guess about a megacycle ago.  Right before they started to talk, there was a large explosion without fire.."

            Optimus turned to the forest.  "By Primus no…it's the Vok!  They've taken control of Scarem and Sonar, and now they're trying to destroy us all.  Ramulus, this is far above your head.  I can't let another Maximal die by being by himself.  I think it is best if you stay with us."

            Ramulus shook his head as he said, "Sorry, ape, but I can't do that.  I'll be better off by myself."

            Optimus laughed.  "Well, Ramulus, then I am sorry."

            "Sorry for what?"

            "Tigerhawk?" asked Optimus.  Ramulus didn't know what he meant.

            Then Ramulus's mind went blank.  And the next moment, he was laying on the ground, with Tigerhawk's fist outstretched.  Optimus grabbed Ramulus's leg and they began to fly back together to the Ark.

            Back at the Ark, Optimus addressed his crew of the situation and of all that had happened.

            "So, uh, big guy," said Rattrap, "These warped-out aliens have taken control of some of goatboy's old pals, and now they're on their way here to blow us all to scrap? Oh, _we're all gonna die…"_

            "Shut up, Rattrap," said the group together.

            "Megatron still holds the spark of the original Megatron, and that means that we have to protect him…at any cost," said Optimus.

            "Uh, uh," said Rattrap, "So I've gotta go out and save Megatron's ugly butt because he did somethin' stupid?"

            "Exactly," said Optimus.

            "We don't even know where Megatron is!" said Silverbolt.

            Rhinox stood up from his bench.  "Optimus, yesterday Depth Charge and I lied to you.  Depth Charge saw Rampage at the Darkside and engaged with him.  I tried to stop him, but I had no choice.  Megatron, however, was not with them.  They eventually escaped."

            "Yeah," Cheetor said.  "Ramulus told us that the Preds were at the Darkside, and not the Scorponok." :)

            "So I guess we have to return to yesterday's plan?" asked Blackarachnia.

            "Yes," said Optimus, then added, "This time we have to be in a real big hurry.  We don't know how far along the Vok are.  They could already be in this area."

            "But we have to keep people in the base," said Tigerhawk.

            "All right," said Optimus. "Cheetor, you're staying here to keep an eye on Ramulus.  You seem to know him best."

            "Gotcha, bigbot," said Cheetor.

            "As for the rest of you, we're going to split up completely, and find Megatron.  Speak with him.  Except for you, Rattrap.  You call for someone else to talk.  I know you hardly have the art of charisma."

            "Aww…" said Rattrap.

            "Let's move out, team," ordered Optimus.  "And hurry…for the Matrix's sake."

            "Wow," muttered Megatron.  He was quite pleased with the base he had made for himself.  It was nearing completion of a defense system, using old pieces of Sentinel, and a command center.  He also used pieces from Tarantulas's old lair.  This would make quite a base, indeed.

            "All right, troops.  Assemble!" cried Megatron.

            A line soon formed in front of him made up of Quickstrike, Inferno, Rampage, and Dinobot.

            "Troops," started Megatron, "We have managed to rearm ourselves with a base.  Those Maximals will have nothing more than we have now…and we can restart the Beast Wars at full force.  As for a name, this I have pondered for quite a while.  We shall call this base the _Darkside II_, even though it lacks the luxury of also being a ship.  But that is for much later…the reason I started my plan so long ago."

            Then the base's computer made its first dialogue.  "Maximal signal approaching.  Autoguns offline.  Unit Optimus Primal detected."

            "Ah, Optimus…I'm sure we can engage with him with ease," said Megatron.

            And so all of the Predacons stepped out of the _Darkside II_ and onto the cliffside that overlooked a vast plain and then the ocean.  And there, on that plain, was Optimus Primal, with his hands in the air.

            Megatron stepped out to greet him, with his left hand petting his right hand's dragonhead.  "Ah, Optimus, how nice of you to come and join the party."

            "I don't have time for battle, Megatron," answered Optimus.  "What I'm here to talk with you about stretches far over either of our heads.  It's about the aliens.  They're back."

            "Ah, our friends the Vok.  They have returned?  In what form?"

            Optimus sighed.  "In the form of a beetle and bat named Scarem and Sonar.  They're headed here.  I understand that we as Maximals _and_ keepers of peace and harmony that we have no choice but to protect you, Megatron.  You are still carrying the spark of the original Megatron, so that means that you must remain alive."

            "Ah, I see what you mean," said Megatron.  "And I assume that these 'Vok' are once again after me?"

            "No," answered Optimus.  "They're done with aiming for one target.  They want to destroy all of us.  Maximal _and_ Predacon.  They believe that the only way to guarantee peace in the space-time continuum is to have us all destroyed.  That's why I invite you to a truce until we can sort out this situation."

            "Well, Optimus, you're offering me bodyguards, so I can't help but agree."

            "That means that not a single one of your troops will fire upon a single one of my troops, you hear?"

            "Agreed," answered Megatron.

            "I ask that all of your troops come to the Ark, so we can fight this enemy together.  The Sanctuary of the Autobots will be closed off to you and all of your men, as well as ours.  And, just to maintain control, Depth Charge is going to wait out this time in the water.  I have already communicated with him.  It seems that these aliens have other vengeances they want to sort out with us."

            Megatron chuckled.  "No doubt they do.  All right, troops, make way to the Ark.  It seems the Maximals and Predacons are now fighting as the Army of the Transformers."

TO BE CONTINUED in….Other Vagabonds!


	4. Other Vagabonds

NOTE: I know Sonar and Scarem don't look like their toys, but I have reasons.

Chapter Four: Other Vagabonds

  
            Ramulus finally came to his senses lying in the middle of a chamber.  It was quite small compared to his cave, with a bed just large enough to fit his entire body.  He only had about three square meters of room.  The door was shut.  "Where am I?" Ramulus asked himself aloud.

            Strangely enough, an answer came.  "You're in the Ark."

            "Cat?" asked Ramulus.

            "Yeah, Goaty, it's me Cheetor," the voice said.

            Then finally Ramulus realized that the voices came from outside the door.  Ramulus proceeded to open the door, but the door opened anyway.  And Cheetor was standing there, in robot mode.  "You've officially been captured, Ramulus."

            "Oh, dammit," he replied.  "Don't tell me you're going to reprogram me into a Maximal."

            "No, but I am going to confine you in this cell.  We can't have you out waltzing around waiting for your old buddies to kill you."

            "Heh," said Ramulus.  "I thought Maximals were supposed to be nice."

            "We are," answered Cheetor, "But not when it concerns life or death."

            Ramulus thought to himself.  "Say, cat?"

            "What?"  
            "How does it make you feel?" asked Ramulus.

            "How does _what_ make me feel?" Cheetor asked in return.

            "Knowing that the rest of your teammates find you to be the weakest one, the one they leave behind to watch the prisoner.  How does it feel?"

            Cheetor laughed.  "They left me here because I know you best, and I know the way you think."

            "Heh," said Ramulus.  "That's funny.  You've spoken with me for nigh a megacycle, and you think you know the way I think.  Not even Scarem and Sonar know the way I think.  Hey, cat, could you come up closer to the door?"

            "Why?" Cheetor asked as he responded to Ramulus's request.

            "Because of…THIS!" and Ramulus's hand soared through the door and smack onto Cheetor's head.

            Ramulus then ripped the door open, like Silverbolt had done so long ago, and kneeled down next to Cheetor.  "Are you hurt?"

            Cheetor remembered that this had happened to him before, except it was Silverbolt who had done it so he could find Blackarachnia, who was then a Predacon searching for the Ark.  He was so busy thinking of how this had happened before that he forgot to answer Ramulus's question.

            "You know, I don't like it when bots don't answer my questions," said Ramulus as he took another swing at Cheetor's head, knocking him unconscious.

            "Cheetor?  Cheetor!"

            The cat awoke to see Optimus's face looking at him from about half a meter away.  "Cheetor, where's Ramulus?" he asked.

            "Huh?" asked Cheetor, woozily.  "Ramulus?  He…he knocked me out!"

            As things came in focus for Cheetor, he noticed that right behind Optimus was Megatron, with his Predacons decorated around the command center.  "Megatron!" he shouted.

            "Yes, Cheetor, I know," replied Optimus.

            "But, but Optimus-" started Cheetor before the monkey cut him off.

            "We _invited Megatron and his minions to stay with us while the current situation cools off.  But anyway, how did Ramulus knock you out?"_

            And so Cheetor recalled the entire conversation, including the pair of punches dealt to him by his former prisoner.  "And so, he just socked it to me, right in my processor."

            Megatron stepped in front of Optimus.  He grunted out, "Ah, pussycat, so young, you do not even know the rules of keeping prisoners."

            Cheetor growled at Megatron.  "What's that supposed to mean, dragonbreath?"

            Megatron laughed.  "Ah, simply that you broke the first rule of hostages.  _Never do what they ask you to.  You should have never come __closer to the door in the first place.  Had one of my, more _competent_ minions been guarding this, this __Ramulus, then-"_

            Now Optimus was involved.  Grabbing Megatron by the throat, he bellowed out, "_Never_ insult one of my soldiers, and more so, my friend.  You are a guest in this ship, and thus you will do what I tell you to.  I know you don't like the situation any more than I do, but you must do as I tell you, as well as do any of the things my soldiers tell you to.  Do I make myself clear, Megatron?"

            Since his voice box was currently being squeezed, his voiced was raspy when he replied, "Uh huh."

            Optimus raised an eyebrow and didn't let go.

            Megatron sighed as much as he could.  Then he added, "_Sir."_

            "That's better," said Optimus as Megatron fell to the floor.  He then addressed the rest of his soldiers, who had all reported back to base.  "All right, team, as for quarters, I'm afraid someone's gonna have to double up your quarters.  Quickstrike, you'll stay in Silverbolt's chamber.  Inferno, you're with Cheetor.  Waspinator, I guess you can stay in Depth Charge's chambers while he is away  Megatron, you will _not_ be staying with me.  You'll be with Tigerhawk.  I want Rampage staying with me, where I can see him."

            Rampage smiled and let out a low laugh. "Smart choice, ape."

            Optimus sighed.  "Whatever.  And Rattrap?"

            "Yes, sir, fealess leada?" responded Rattrap.

            "You've got Ramulus.  _If_ we can find him.  And that's going to be our first assignment.  _As a team!_  We all have to start searching for him.  If you find him, I want him non-functional and brought here to be disciplined.  It's only a matter of time before he realizes he's Maximal."

            Megatron tapped Optimus on the shoulder.  "Oh, Optimus?"

            "What?" responded Primal testily.

            "Why should we be assigned to looking for more troops for _your_ side?" asked the dragon.

            Feeling very Fatherish, Optimus responded with, "_Because I said so."_

            And so the adventure began.  An unlikely alliance, but it had to be done, for the sake of the universe, and time itself.

Ramulus sighed.  Even though he knew that he didn't want to stay and converse with these Maximals, he almost felt as if he was _wanted_.  For the first time since he had come online, he had a serious emotional challenge.

_Could I ever really return to my old life now? he asked himself.  _I've nearly tasted the supposed 'good' taste of camaraderie.  Could I ever give up and go for a different meal?  The salty taste of self-reliance?  Could I ever return to my old adventures that I had by myself, and give up these simple fools?__

The sun was beginning to set on another day.  Ramulus was laying down right outside his forest, on a grassy hill that overlooked the Standing Stones and a large plain.  This was the first time that Ramulus had really ever thought about his life, and why he was online.

_Why do I feel accepted?  I'm not like them, he continued to think.  __They're 'Maximals'.  They really have no individuality.  They all just do what the monkey tells them too.  So why do they continue to fight? What drives them?  Why do they even fight__ with these, these Predacons in the first place?  It makes me wonder…it makes me almost want to be with them…_

Megatron wasn't sure which part of him he hated more being tied up: his mouth or his hands.

            It wasn't that he _needed to talk.  It just gave him a new sense of power that Predacons always craved.  But for his hands, or, well, a hand and a dragon's head, he needed that to _fight_.  So he felt he needed his hands to fight._

            But, he couldn't fight _or talk, and that made him quite angry as he waited on Optimus's back, both of them driving across a vast plain, looking for Ramulus.  Well, __Optimus was looking for Ramulus.  Megatron was thinking what a mistake it was to accept protection from the Maximals.  He had no reason to be searching for Ramulus.  Besides, Megatron was not even aware what Ramulus looked like.  He had never met him.  In fact, Megatron was not even aware what type of animal this Maximal transformed into.  Sure, the name implied it was a ram, but it could be a sheep.  Or any other grazing animal._

            A few times, Megatron even dozed off.  He didn't have a reason for being here, and surprisingly enough, Optimus's little car mode was comfortable, in a way.  In a very odd way.

            The last of Megatron's naps was ended by Optimus's voice.  "See anything yet?"

            Jolting up from the sleeping position he was in, Megatron immediately began to pretend to look back and forth.  But then he thought to himself: why was he even being asked this question?  He had something over his mouth keeping him from responded.  Soon enough, Optimus realized that they were in this same predicament.  "All right," said Optimus.  "Kick me once if you see something, twice if you don't."

            Megatron found joy in this, because he had a perfect opportunity to, well, kick Optimus.  And twice, too!  He made sure to kick his landlord a little harder than he was sure Primal would have liked.  After the interruption of his nap was shut up, he shut his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

            But this time, that wouldn't happen.  Megatron felt himself being lifted into the air, along with Optimus.  They did a few flips before soaring back to the ground.  Megatron felt his entire body nearly snap in to, as he had Optimus on top of him.  He wasn't sure exactly what had happened.  "Uhhh…" he heard Optimus mutter.  Luckily enough, Optimus transformed to robot mode and let off of Megatron.

            Now that Megatron's view was unblocked, he could see exactly what had happened.  There, in front of both himself and Optimus, was a beetle.  But much larger than a regular beetle.  It was atleast five meters in length, and stood a meter high.  It was dark green, with gleaming red eyes.  But it wasn't a Transmetal.  Simply a regular Transformer, like he, himself, had once been.  Megatron was looking to ask a question, but Optimus did it for him.  "Who are you?" asked the monkey.

            "Ah…I have been called many things…" said the beetle.  Its voice was dark and mysterious, with a rasp to it.  "But Optimus Primal, you know me as your near-destroyer."

            _"The Vok," said Optimus._

            "I see you remember our race," responded the beetle.  "But as for this form, I believe I was called Scarem.  But not anymore.  And I won't be just your near-destroyer either."

            A great white light was emitted from the beetle, and he transformed.  When his transformation was finished, what was left was a robot only about a meter and a half tall, with two pincers protruding from his back and two beetlelegs coming out of each arm.  His head looked almost like a gorillas, with two nubby horns coming out of the top.  His eyes were sharp and yellow.

            Megatron kicked Optimus.  When the monkey turned and looked, he realized that Megatron was still in bonds.  Quickly Optimus ripped the cellophoton tape off of his mouth and sliced the bonds.  They then turned to face their enemy.  But Scarem was too quick.  Before Optimus and Megatron even realized it, Scarem was behind them.  The two tried to turn to once again face the beetle, but they couldn't.  Neither of them could move anything below their waist.  "What did you do?!" cried Optimus.

            Scarem let out a vicious laugh, then replied, "Heh heh, I put para-rings around your necks.  You cannot even move!"

            Optimus and Megatron managed to move their eyes enough to see silver rings around their necks.  "What are you going to do to us?"

            "For right now," said Scarem, "I must bring you to the assigned place.  Your friends are already there.  Sonar will bring in whoever is not there."

Optimus frowned.  "You can't destroy Megatron!"

Megatron had a happy look on his face as he bellowed, "Yes, that's right.  You can't destroy me.  I still contain the spark of my namesake!"

Scarem laughed.  "That gets you out of nothing.  We will simply remove the Decepticon Megatron's spark then dispose of you.  But that's after we destroy the rest of the Predacons and all of the Maximals.  All of you have become too much of a threat.  I'm afraid we cannot have future Transformers in this time zone."

Optimus attempted to bargain.  "But we did not come to this planet by choice!  If you, in all of your great power, could assist us in going home-"

"I'm afraid that is no longer a possibility.  We must end the threat immediately."

Optimus and Megatron watched as Scarem's yellow eyes glowed.  They both gasped as they soared into the air.  Scarem turned and began to walk, and Optimus and Megatron followed behind, about three meters in the air.

They traveled for about a megacycle, across a large plain before they entered a forest.  This was a different forest than the one that belonged to Ramulus.

Anyway, Optimus and Megatron were unaware of where they were going.  The proceeded deeper and deeper into the forest, until finally they approached a cave (a different cave).  There were branches scattered around the entrance.  As they entered the cave under the Vok's abilities, neither said a word.

Inside, lined up against the wall like they were suspected of a crime, Cheetor, Silverbolt, Rattrap, Blackarachnia, Tigerhawk, Rhinox, Depth Charge, Inferno, Quickstrike, Waspinator, and Rampage all were stiff from the silver rings.  Pacing around the room was a robot that looked like a bat.  Megatron and Optimus assumed that this was Sonar.

            "Greetings, my comrade," said Sonar.

            "Greetings," replied Scarem.

            Now that all of the others realized who had entered the cave, Cheetor cried, "Bigbot!" and Inferno cried, "My queen!" at the same time.

            Neither of the leaders responded.

            Optimus was placed by Scarem at the left end of the lineup while Megatron was placed at the right.

            Scarem smiled.  "This must be done.  All of you have transgressed against time.  You must not continue to be here.  You must be destroyed."

            Rattrap sighed and squealed out softly, "We're all gonna die."

            Rhinox added, "Yep."

            Scarem then pulled out a long ray gun, with a barrel nearly a meter long.  "We do not want to cause any more pain than necessary.  We simply want to get over with this, and leave."

            The first to be aimed at by Scarem was Inferno, the end of the barrel about half a meter away.  "We shall ask you for your last words.  You, first."

            Inferno shut his eyes, and screamed with all of his might, "FOR THE ROYALLLLLTTTTTYYYY!"

            And it was done.  The ray's shot broke apart the silver ring, and Inferno crumpled to the floor, his normally colorful compound eyes black as night, with his head sulked down against one shoulder.  He was dead.

            Cheetor couldn't bare to look.  He just prayed that he wasn't going to be next.

            "That was an example of how this is to be done.  Any questions?" asked Sonar.  His voice was mid-range in tone, but has a dark growl to it.

            Rattrap, being the idiot that he was, quickly asked, "Exactly what does it do to, uh…destroy us?"

            Optimus was pleased.  _Atleast this would waste time…as for now, we only have one hope_.

            Sonar laughed.  It was a cold, dark laugh.  "I'm not going to answer that.  But we will continue.  With him."

            And sonar pointed a long, bony finger at the Maximal two Transformers to the left of Rattrap.  "No…not Cheetor," said Rattrap.

            And so Scarem moved the long ray gun over to the cat.  "You."  That was his request for last words.

            Cheetor glared straight at Scarem, but said nothing.  "Fine.  If that's the way you want to do it.  And this is your punishment."

            Instead of the way it was with Inferno, the barrel of the ray gun was pressed directly against Cheetor's forehead.

            Optimus opened his eyes big.  "That's sadistic!"

            "You bastad!" cried Rattrap.

            "That's what he gets," said Scarem.

            The Maximals couldn't bare to look.  Surprisingly enough, neither did the Predacons.  All they heard was a boom, and they sulked their heads.

            "AAAAAHHHH!!!" was the sound that they all heard that made them look up and open their eyes.  Lying on the floor in front of them were Scarem and Sonar.  And there, perched at the entrance of the cave, stood Ramulus.  He had his horn weapon in his hand, and apparently it could be used as a gun of some sort.

            Ramulus leapt into the cavern, with his weapon snapping.  He quickly grabbed two of the silver rings off of Optimus and Depth Charge's head, and slipped them over the necks of Scarem and Sonar.  "I guess it's a good thing I followed, you Scarem."

            Rattrap smiled.  "Oh, I never thought I'd be glad to see you, goatboy."

            "I'd watch your mouth, or you're gonna spend a long time in that ring, vermin," replied Ramulus.

            Scarem and Sonar glared at Ramulus.  "My comrade, who is this Transformer?  He is not in any of our data tracks for these wars."

            "What did you do with Scarem and Sonar?" asked Ramulus.

            "They have been, let's say, destroyed," said Sonar, or, the Vok spirit that inhabited Sonar's former body.

            "I'm afraid, however," said Scarem, "That you cannot destroy either of us."

            A bright corona exploded into the cave's musty air, and Ramulus flew to the ground.  Optimus and Depth Charge flew against the wall and slid back down it, crumpled on the floor.  When they all regained their senses, the silver rings were gone, and it seemed as if Scarem and Sonar were both dead.  Their eyes were black, and neither one was moving.

            "Well, Optimus, Primal, I believe that now is that time that we say goodbye," cried Megatron.  He converted to beast mode, and commanded, "Troops, move out to the _Darkside II_!"

            Optimus cried, "No!" but it was too late; before he had a chance to get back up from the floor, all of the Predacons were gone, and the Maximals were left by themselves.

            Ramulus laughed.  "You're welcome," he said.

            "Oh, yes," said Optimus.  "Thank you, Ramulus.  We owe you our lives."

            "Damn, right, monkey," joked Ramulus.

            The other Maximals began to move again.  Cheetor was still baffled, though, about how he had managed to avoid death.  He was speechless, and checking all parts of his body to make sure they were still there.

            "Now," said Optimus, "You must have come here for a reason."

            "Yes," replied Ramulus.  "I have been thinking.  My life has hit a great halt since I first encountered all of you.  I know that after seeing all of my fellow Maximals that I could ever go back to being a vagabond.  I'm afraid that there are many things that need to be accomplished, and I plan on helping you with those things.  First of all…all of you are too nice."

            Optimus smiled.  "Welcome to the fold, Ramulus.  I hope you enjoy things here."

            "I just hope I didn't make a big mistake."

            Later on that night there was a great thunderstorm.  The same cave in which lives were destroyed, thus were created again.  The Predacons stood in awe of the equipment that Megatron had managed to build in just a solar cycle.  There were three stasis pod sthere, with a great number of instruments attached to them.  Megatron was fiddling with these instruments for quite a long time, until finally he connected two cables together.  A bolt of lightning rained down from the sky and through the cave's ceiling, directly into the generator place on top of the pods.  Since Megatron was still holding onto the cables, he was sent soaring back into the rest of his minions.  And there, the catalystic program began.

            "And as easily as life is destroyed, it is once again created!  Those who are spawned from the great power of my technology shall forever be under my power!  Welcome to this world, Transmetal 2 Inferno, Scarem, and Sonar!  Come out of hiding, and feel my power!  MMMWWWAAAHHHAAAAAAHHHHHAAAA!"

TO BE CONTINUED IN: "The Weakest Link"


	5. The Weakest Link

Chapter Five: The Weakest Link

            Ramulus happen to be very high on himself as he strolled throughout his old plain on scout patrol.  _Ha ha! _he thought to himself.  _I have friends…I am a Maximal!  Wait…am I supposed to be happy about this?_

            For his first mission, he really wasn't paying much attention to actually scouting.  Mostly he would walk around arrogantly, with his ram's head pointed high in the air.  Now that he was officially a member of the Maximal fold, he felt as if he ranked higher than the birds in the trees, the fish in the sea, or even, the rams, gnawing on grass about a hundred yards away.

            Ramulus happen to be heading directly toward them, but he had his eyes closed, a side effect of his megalomania.  In fact, Ramulus slammed right into the side of one of the rams without even realizing it.  "Huh?!" he yelled as he quickly backed away.  But that was not satisfactory for the ram.  The opposing ram snorted, causing dirt to fly up from the air and into Ramulus's eyes.

            "Hey, there, bud," said Ramulus to his friend.  "I didn't mean nothin' by it."

            Of course, the ram understood none of this.  It lowered its head and kicked the ground with its front right leg.  "Oh, boy," muttered Ramulus.  "I've really done it this time."

            Far above Ramulus, perched on the mid-day sky, flew Waspinator, in beast mode at the moment.  "Ooooo…" shrieked Waspinator.  "Goaty-bot can't see Wassspinator.  Wasssspinator has element of surprise!"

            And so Waspinator began soaring towards the ground, where Ramulus was still arguing out of a fight with a ram.  All he heard was, "WAAAAASSSSPPIIINNNATTTORRRR…..TERRORIZE!" and two shots fired before he was sprawled, spread-eagled on the ground, not moving.  "Predacons," commanded Waspinator, "attack!"

            Coming up out of the ground about ten meters from Ramulus came a beetle, Scarem, but he had a much different look that before.  Instead of a normal beetle, he was a Transmetal 2.  His pincers were long, razor-sharp and made out of a blue alloy.  His torso was green, and his back was made up of two blue metal plates that came together along what would be his spine, if he was a vertebrate.  He had six long, orange legs.  His left eye looked like a normal beetle's eye, except red, but it was his left eye that defined him.  It was twisted, made up of three small compound eyes, and glaring scarlet.  A long scar was slashed through it, leaving an open scab.  Upon seeing Ramulus on the ground, temporarily flustered, Scarem opened his pincers away from each other, revealed a crooked smile with orange, scraggly teeth.  "Ahhh….my old friend…."  He snickered.  His voice was a cold one, with a growl to it.

            Ramulus managed to turn his head enough to see Scarem.  "You!" he shouted.  "How…how can you be here?"

            Scarem sighed.  "Oh, dear old Ramulus, it was the most wonderful feeling…" he growled.  "Imagine being on the brink of death, a most wonderful thing in itself, but then having life fueled back into you.  It's ecstasy, my friend."

            "You…were resurrected?" asked Ramulus.

            "Indeed," cried Scarem.  "And in the process my master gave me a brand new body to use…and use it I will…to bring about your death. Scarem…terrorize."

            His blue metal back plates split, and became shoulderpads.  His pincers transformed into arms, and his robot form was revealed.  His chest was a green organic texture.  A blood-red metal plate lay in the center.  His head was the same organic texture, a verdecal color.  His eyes were glowing crimson, but neither was like the beast mode's left one.  Similar to his former form, he had two nubby horns coming out of the top of his forehead.  He had no mouth, simply a ridge of metal plates where his mouth should be, coming up in a rectangle that was taller than wide.

            "Say, Ramulus, I think you should have a good look at this new body I sport before you die, eh?" asked Scarem sarcastically.  His equivalent to a mouth shook with every word.

            Suddenly, Ramulus leapt up from the air and shouted, "Eat slag, you sniveling little bug.  Ramulus, maximize!!!"

            Scarem was too quick for his tactic.  While Ramulus was transforming, Scarem grabbed a laser pistol from behind his back and shot three times at the transforming ram.  He flew backwards, away from Scarem and towards Waspinator.  When he hit the ground, now in full robot mode, his horned weapon fell out of his hand and several meters from his body.

            Waspinator landed to the ground beside Ramulus.  "Beety-bot take Waspeenator's orders well.  Beety-bot now retreat and let Wassspinator finish him!"

            "I don't seem to think that that will happen," said a mysterious voice.  Both Waspinator and Scarem turned to see what it was.  It was Sonar, now in his new robotic form.

            Two wings protruded on his back, both a dark-gray color with light-brown hair scattered on them.  His chest was made up of a red plate that came up into three points at the top.  His arms were long and had the same texture as his wings.  Each arm ended with only two sharp claws, a thumb and a finger that curved over towards the thumb.  His legs seemed thin and weak compared with his upper body.  His head had two long ears stretching up, doubling the height of his face.  His eyes were similar to Scarem's, except glowing green.  Unlike Scarem, he had a mouth, full of broken, damaged-to-black teeth.  The most noticeable feature of Sonar was his size; while Scarem stood to the height of nearly two meters, Sonar would be lucky to be measured one.  He was less than half the height of Ramulus.

            Scarem got the message, and blasted Waspinator with his gun.  Waspinator was thrown backwards and onto the ground. "Finish the wasp…" cried Scarem and Sonar.

            Sonar seemed shocked by this request.  In fact, Sonar did nothing but stand there on the ground.

            Even Ramulus, now regaining his senses, was wondering exactly what Sonar was planning on doing.  "What are you doing?!" shrieked Scarem.  "Blast him to scrap!"

            But still, Sonar stood there, still.  "BAH!  Useless bat! Die, wasp, die!"

            By the time Scarem had re-aimed his laser pistol at Waspinator, the victim was already in beast mode, flying away because of fear.  And Ramulus was left by himself, with just Scarem and Sonar there to finish him.

            "Hmm…Ramulus is late with his report."

            Rhinox was left with Optimus in the Command Center of the Ark.  Just a few solar cycles before, it seemed that the Beast Wars were rapidly coming to an end.  But now, it seemed that the road to peace had just been sidetracked by the coming of Ramulus, and the near-destruction of them by the Vok.  Rhinox then added to his previous statement, "He was due near ten cycles ago."

            "Contact him on his com-link," ordered Optimus, who now stumbled over towards Rhinox's station.

            Pressing several buttons on the panel, Rhinox spoke in his clearest tone, "Ramulus, come in.  You're late with his report."  The only heard on the other end was static.

            "Oh, dear," said Optimus.  "Looks like we got trouble.  Where were his last known coordinates?"

            Rhinox typed in a few more characters, and a graphic showing his trail appeared on the screen.  "He's still online, remaining still at coordinates 9,4,8.  I wonder why he doesn't answer his com-link."

            "I'll head over there now, and see what's up.  Patch a trail through my scanners so if he moves I'll know where to.  Then I'll teach him how to use his com-link right."

            "Seeya," said Rhinox, and he continued to type away at the screen.

            He continued typing until Optimus had left through the blast doors, and then he pressed a green button in the upper right corner of his panel.  The screen estimating all of the units' report times blanked off, and a screen with the words "Predacon Buster 2" written in Cybertronian appeared.

            "What would I do without Rattrap?" Rhinox asked himself as he selected his playable character.  He had just had Rattrap imput Tigerhawk and Ramulus as playable characters that morning.  He began the first level playing as Tigerhawk.

            "Ha ha…take that Waspinator slag," he shouted at the screen as he concocted a tornado to sweep Waspinator's screaming carcass away and into the Cyber-junkyard.  Suddenly, the screen turned off and appeared Cheetor's face.  Rhinox pretended that nothing had ever happened.  "What?" he asked, sounding rather annoyed.

            "Nothing sighted, Big R," said Cheetor.  "I'll be headin' back to base.  See you in a nanoclick.  Is bigbot there?"

            "Nope," answered Rhinox.  "Ramulus didn't come in with his first report.  He didn't respond on his com-link.  Optimus went out to find him and teach him how."

            "Gotcha.  Be right over."

            And the com-link turned off, and Rhinox continued forging pieces of Waspinator into a fake target.

            "Why did you not destroy the wasp when you had the chance?" asked Scarem.

            Sonar stared straight at his friend, and said nothing.

            "Why?"

            Nothing.

            "Why do you not answer me, bat?" Scarem's eyes began to glow more as more and more anger fueled through his body.

            "I…lack a weapon," Sonar finally responded.  He sulked his head, down at Ramulus.

            Scarem looked serious for a moment, then burst out laughing.  He grabbed Sonar's arm to hold himself up.  Sonar continued to look serious, but then managed to bring out a chuckle just to fit in.  Scarem then tried to get out words.  "You…you said…you don't…" (laugh) "have a weapon?" He continued to laugh.

            Sonar sighed, wondering why Scarem thought this to be the slightest bit humorous.  "No," he simply answered.

            As they continued to joke, Ramulus knew he had no opportunity to move, because Scarem (not Sonar) would simply blast him to oblivion.  So he continued to wait, looking up at them from his view on the ground.  Until finally, a small black cylinder came to them.  "Huh?" cried Scarem.

            The black cylinder hovered about a meter away, before revealing a hologram of Megatron's head.  "Ah, my new troops.  I see you have already captured one of them.  But also attacked one of my own."

            "Yes, my lord," said Scarem.  "He was endangering our mission."

            Megatron chuckled.  "No doubt he was.  At any rate, I wish that this Maximal be destroyed immediately and without mercy.  According to Waspinator's report, you, Scarem are quite formidable.  Now, my new unit Sonar, I wish that you immediately destroy this Maximal."

            Like Sonar had already done before to Scarem, he stood there, without any response.

            "Do not disobey me, bat," cried Megatron after several millicycles of this. "I wish that the enemy be destroyed quickly.  Now do it!"

            Scarem answered for Sonar.  "I'm afraid, my lord, that Sonar, when created by your great and wonderful technology, lacked any sort of bodily weapon."

            Megatron glared at Sonar for a moment, then, like Scarem had, burst into a fit of laughter.  "Made…without…a…haha…weapon…" he chuckled.

            "So I see.  I'm afraid, Sonar, that you are meant to be a Predacon.  If fate be it that you lack a weapon, then fate be it.  Scarem, I wish that you make Sonar…just go away and never return.  I hope you know what that means.  Then destroy the Maximal."

            And the hologram faded, and the black cylinder flew away.  Sonar and Scarem were left staring at each other.  For nearly three stellar cycles, they had been with each other, and for two of those, been fighting against Ramulus.  They had come to appreciate each other a great deal.

            "Brother…" said Sonar, "…please…no…"

            Scarem faced a difficult decision.  Either he destroy Sonar, and betray his friend, or let Sonar live, and forever be an outcast of the Predacons.

            Ramulus was quite happy by all of this.  He was left to just lay there, and watch as his eternal enemies had to either betray each other or both of them would be outcasts by Megatron.

            "I am loyal to Megatron," said Scarem.  Sonar's face then morphed into a great gaspy look, with his eyes wide open.  Scarem then sunk his head, and muttered, "But I am also loyal to my friend."

            Sonar looked at his friend, and knew that he must be going through a great deal. While Sonar had been resurrected to serve Megatron, he knew that his true loyalties would always lie with his friend, and he prayed that it would be the same case with Scarem.

            Finally, after several cycles of this unnatural wait, Scarem finally spoke.  "Run," was all he spoke.  Until he finally added, "I am programmed to not disobey Megatron.  But my spark cannot come to destroy you.  Megatron ordered me to make you go away.  I can make you do that.  Run, Scarem, far away.  You are new to these wars, but you must not remain here.  Megatron feels as if you are the weakest link to his chain.  It is not your fault.  Run, and I will dispose of the Maximal.  Do you understand?"

            Sonar was touched my his friend's kindness.  Though both were Predacons, Scarem happen to be quite kind and gentle when it came to his best friend.  While darkness filled their sparks, they had a soft spark for each other.  "Goodbye, my friend.  Beast mode."

            Sonar's beast mode was made of the same organic material as Scarem's, except dark gray, with the same brown hair scattered.  His bathead was made up of a red metal.  His eyes were the same color green.

            Sonar looked at his friend, Scarem, and then turned.  He never even saw the laser blast before it hit him square in the head.

            He fell quickly to the ground, squeaking and squawking because of the pain.  Both Ramulus and Scarem looked to see who had set loose the blast, and standing there was a character that Ramulus failed to recognize, but Scarem knew who it was.  It was Inferno, in a new Transmetal 2 body.

            What was his abdomen split apart to form shoulderpads.  His beast mode's torso formed his chest, silver with a red jewel encrusted in the center.  An ant's head formed his waist, with two large, strong legs coming out the bottom.  His ant's legs were behind the rest of his body, like Tarantulas's were and Blackarachnia's are.  

            "The royalty will not like this…" he said in his unusual, sneering voice.  His mouth was similar to Scarem's, and it also moved up and down when he spoke.  "You betray the ROYALTY!"

            "Sonar!" cried Scarem.  He dashed over as fast as he could to his fallen friend's side.  And there, seeing his only companion shriek in pain, hate fueled through Scarem's veins.  The only person he could possibly hurt right now was standing there in front of him, with a blaster in his hand.

            Ramulus was just now getting up on his feet, now that both Scarem and Sonar had left his side.  He could simply dash off at this moment, but he was quite anxious to see what was going to happen.  That was when Optimus soared in beside him.

            "Monkey?" said Ramulus.

            "Yes, Ramulus," answered Optimus.  "What's going on here?"

            And so Ramulus started from the beginning.  As Ramulus spoke, Scarem began his assault on Inferno.  Inferno's eyes expanded to a much bigger size as Scarem leaped through the air.  Inferno fell to the ground, with Scarem on top of him.  "Die, you slaggin' piece of positron!!!" cried Scarem.

            "Should we leave them to this?" asked Optimus, looking at Ramulus.

            "Well, even though I'm looking forward to see how this is gonna turn out, yeah, we better go.  I'll follow on the ground."

            The last thing they saw before they turned back happened to be not Scarem on top of Inferno, but Scarem lying on the ground, hurt, and Inferno ripping Sonar limb from limb.

            By the time Ramulus and Optimus had returned to the Ark, Rattrap, Cheetor, Depth Charge, Blackarachnia, Silverbolt, and Tigerhawk had all returned from their patrols.  Rhinox was the first to ask a question.  "So what happened?"

            And, for the second time, Ramulus had to explain the entire situation to them, starting from when Waspinator first fired a few shots at him.  "..and so Optimus arrived, and we left."

            "I've never seen it before," Optimus continued.  "I have never seen Predacons act in such an altogether 'kind' manner to each other."

            "Well, I have been fighting with them for a long time," said Ramulus.  "They have a strange, mutual camaraderie with each other.  Scarem is nasty, but he's relatively soft-hearted when it comes to Sonar.  Sonar isn't as bad, but he can still be extremely cruel.  They both love it.  They love being cruel even more when they do it together.  They may have been created to serve Megatron, but they live more for each other.  It's a weird thing.  Of course…I don't like for all of you or anything."

            "Of course not," remarked Rattrap.

            The _Darkside II _was in awe when Inferno arrived back with a Sonar's red metal chest-pad and all of Scarem, but incapacitated.  Megatron greatly wondered what had gone on.  Inferno informed him of the situation.

            "I assumed that the two traitors were planning to overthrow the colony.  I had to dispose of both of them.  I did it for the glory of the royalty.  Unfortunately, the beetle you did not ask to be destroyed.  I have him here as a gift personally for you, my queen.  As for Sonar…I have managed to bring proof of his destruction."

            Megatron smiled and grabbed Scarem's body.  "No doubt you did what you did with intentions to further…the glory of…the colony." He shuddered.

            "Wassspinator happy to see batbot and beety-bot offline, oooo!!"

            The _Darkside II_ was nearly 100% complete.  It featured chambers for every Predacon, including 2 others, for reasons that Megatron would not speak of.  The Command Center could access surveillance monitors for all parts of the base, and the perimeter up to about 1000 meters.  They had set up Sentinel.  They had managed to reprogram it for a deflector shield that would support a cave base instead of a ship base.

            After realizing exactly what had gone on that day, Megatron's temporary happiness faded.  "It seems my attempt to create loyalty has quickly disintegrated into something as disgusting as friendship.  However, even though his first loyalty is to his friend, Scarem is still one of my troops.  Now that Sonar is gone, I shall be his only master."

            The sun had set on another awkward day of the Beast Wars.  Silverbolt and Blackarachnia were just now patrolling a small perimeter of the Ark before they locked up for the night.  As they began to tiredly stagger towards the door to shut down for the night, a sound they heard suddenly made them aware that they weren't the only ones staggering.

            They turned, and saw a small robot stumbling towards them.  While neither of them knew exactly who this unit was, they had an idea when two of the Ark's autoguns raised up from their hiding place and the computer said, "Predacon unit detected."

            They began to fire, Silverbolt, seeing that this unit met them no harm, told Teletran 1 to shut down autoguns.

            The combatant lurching towards them had long ears perched on the top of his ugly face.  However, the face was even more beat-up by battle.  His chest was open, with many power cords and computer chips hanging out.  Behind all of this vestige Silverbolt and Blackarachnia could barely manage to see the hint of the dark red spark.  The thing about this soldier that caught their attention the most was his size; Blackarachnia was nearly a half meter taller than this creature.  By the description, Blackarachnia was the first to say something to it.

            "Are you Sonar?"

            And the robot collapsed in her arms.

BEAST WARS! More exciting action (Maximize!) with your favorite 3D Transformers (Prime Jets…On!) (Wow…Cool…) On the next exciting adventure of…Beast Wars…with 3D action!

TO BE CONTINUED IN….Uh, I haven't thought of a title yet.

TO SEE A PIC OF t2Inferno go to 


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